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Newsletter New Delhi
31 July 2008
The Last of the Protracted Afghan Refugees…. They first came in 1981. From a peak of 25,000 in the mid-1990’s, there are currently under 9,000 urban Afghan refugees in New Delhi from the protracted population most of whom have been in India for 18 - 27 years. Amongst this population there are various groups including ethnic Afghans, as well as Hindu and Sikh. Now only a few hundred Pashtun and Tajik ethnic Afghan refugees remain. After UNHCR New Delhi's efforts and thanks to the support of several resettlement countries, most of these refugees will be leaving India to start their lives in a resettlement country in the next few months. Hindu and Sikh Afghan refugees form the bulk of the population here, some 8000+ in Delhi and its surrounding areas. The Government of India has exceptionally agreed to provide access to naturalised Indian citizenship for the Hindus and Sikhs most of whom have expressed a desire to become citizens in the country where they have now fully integrated. UNHCR Global Award for Gender The UNHCR India office won the Global UNHCR Gender Team Award for 2006, in recognition of its efforts in mainstreaming age, gender and diversity concerns into its programs in India. At every stage, gender concerns are addressed: for example, vulnerable women and girl asylum seekers are “fast-tracked” for refugee status determination interviews; income generating activities for women refugees are on-going; physical security for refugee women and girls is prioritised; and refugee representatives of all nationalities must include women to ensure their concerns are also voiced. A pioneering effort was the creation of the Women’s Protection Clinic, in west Delhi which opened its doors in December 2005. The Clinic offers a safe and confidential space for refugee women and girls to detail their problems and concerns, which are then looked into holistically by UNHCR. Through the assessments made at the Clinic, immediate short and long term solutions are identified and counselling and consultations provided. All Myanmar refugee women and girls are profiled at the Clinic, which is funded mostly by donor countries. The Clinic has been recognised as an example of a “best practice” in UNHCR.
Late in 2004, UNHCR New Delhi undertook a comprehensive assessment of the available durable solutions for all protracted Afghan refugees under the office's care. Most of those who could return to Afghanistan had, leaving over 10,000 with no lasting solution in sight despite years of exile. After discussions and negotiations with refugees, India and partners including resettlement countries, a set of comprehensive solutions was mapped out so as to ensure that a life in exile did not turn into generations as refugees. For the 1,058 Afghans for whom resettlement to a third country was the only solution, resettlement partners began to come forward offering the hope of a durable (long term) solution to most ethnic Afghans. These partners included New Zealand, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Australia and the USA. July 2008 marked the end of the process of submission of these cases, most of whom will be departing India in the months ahead to start their lives as citizens of a new land. For the vast majority, however, including all persons of Hindu and Sikh origin, India provided facilitated access to naturalisation. "In 1992, I had no idea what we would do, how we would live, what India would be like. Now, I am a citizen of India, I like the people here, I like the culture," says Meet Singh, a former refugee from Afghanistan. Over 8,500 people now have access to this option for a durable (long-term) solution. UNHCR New Delhi has opened naturalisation clinics so as to expedite the application process which has now been successfully completed by over 500 adults. Children in these families will have guaranteed access to registration as citizens of India. Aslam and his family were recently resettled to America, after living in India for more than a decade. “We have been in India since we fled Kabul in 1986. We love this country and its people, but we are going for a better life. We have imbibed the Indian culture, we are Afghans from India,” he says. The family look forward to a better education and better work prospects, as Americans. There are many like Aslam. Some 190 refugees from the protracted Afghan caseload left on resettlement in February, April and July this year. Another 40 are scheduled to leave in early August. The prioritization of durable solutions for this group has been central to UNHCR New Delhi’s strategic objectives over the past few years, after the comprehensive review of their situation was carried out and a series of negotiations undertaken to secure access to resettlement for those who could not naturalize or go on voluntary repatriation. The United States has resettled over 20% of the protracted Afghan caseload with a further 100 persons accepted awaiting departure and an additional 300 persons currently under review. Sohail Khan has been accepted for resettlement by the US. Sohail arrived from Kabul 18 years ago and his daughter was born in Delhi. His only frustration is that Afghans and other refugees are eyed with suspicion in India. “I have many friends here, but it is sad that people mistook us for being terrorists. We ourselves fled Kabul because our life was in danger,” he says. In September/October 2006, New Zealand sent a selection mission to interview Afghan refugees from the protracted ethnic Afghan caseload. This was the first such mission from New Zealand, which then accepted 160 Afghan refugees on resettlement. Among the first to leave in February 2007 to New Zealand were Javed Khan and his family of four. “Our lives were ruined because we became refugees. I want to ensure that my children will never be refugees again. Everything was good about India. Except that I did not have the right to work. My children were born here, my relatives are buried here. It’s been 11 years. We will never forget India.” He spoke then with tears in his eyes, the thought of leaving a land that has become home for another that he knew nothing of, was both exciting and daunting. Canada has been open to accepting protracted Afghan refugees on resettlement since being approached in 2004, and have resettled 15% of the caseload in addition to accepting to review a further 54 persons for possible resettlement. Sweden on a recent selection mission has accepted three families on resettlement. Australia has supported the operation with the resettlement of three families with links in Australia. Finally, some 100 persons amongst the ethnic Afghan group (half of whom are not interested in resettlement) will remain in India. For the ethnic Afghan refugees the solutions have now been implemented in full, with some opting to stay as refugees and at a later date to consider voluntary repatriation or local integration if possible. For the Hindu and Sikh refugees who are naturalising the process is ongoing, and they too are taking up their positions in society as fully integrated members. This set of comprehensive solutions has, therefore, set in motion the closure after 27 years of one of the world's longest standing urban refugee situations. "When OCM New Delhi launched a review of the protracted urban Afghan refugee population in 2004, we found a stagnant situation with refugees who had largely lost hope in the future. After launching a series of proposals in 2005 and with the help and collaboration of refugees and states alike, we have been able to not only propose solutions but to set in motion real access to these solutions for virtually all Afghans who came as refugees so many years ago. UNHCR expresses its deep appreciation to India for hosting these refugees for so long and for providing access to full local integration for the majority. The Office also greatly appreciates the support extended by resettlement countries in ensuring viable solutions for those who had no other hope in the future”, said Ms. Carol Batchelor, Chief of Mission, UNHCR.
Data as of 31 July 2008. Figures given represent number of persons, not cases Afghan refugees, from the protracted Afghan urban caseload collecting their travel and other documents from UNHCR New Delhi, before they board their flights to a resettlement country.
Total Number of Refugees under UNHCR mandate in India Refugees from Afghanistan Refugees from Myanmar Other nationalities
Hello & …….
: 11,542 8635 : 2020 : 887 :
Asylum seekers registered in July with UNHCR
:
346
Number of asylum seekers recognised as refugees in July
:
310
Number of refugees reinstated in July
:
6
Voluntary repatriation refugees in July
:
1
Number of submissions for resettlement in July
:
246
Number of refugees resettled in July
:
110
Cumulative Resettlement Submissions pending outcome
:
773
Number of refugees naturalised as Indian citizens in July
:
15
Cumulative total of refugees naturalized
:
251
Number of refugees financially assisted by UNHCR in India Of these, medically vulnerable Of these, physically and mentally handicapped Of these, elderly Of these, vulnerable women, with or without family
: : : : :
1,699 618 23 67 203
Number of refugee children (0—17 yrs) Male: 1942, Female: 1840
:
3,782
Number of refugees on the German sponsored DAFI Scholarships Male: 9, Female: 19
:
28
Kiran Kaur, Senior Protection Officer and (below) Sanja Alikalfic, Assoc. Durable Solutions Officer
……. Good Bye
(L-R) Alison Hutchinson, Resettlement Consultant, Giulia Ricciarelli Ranawat, Protection Officer
Credits: Photographs and Text: Nayana Bose; Layout Priya Rozario, UNHCR New Delhi
